Results from a June 2021 survey I conducted overwhelmingly showed that emotional eating was the number one sticking point when it comes to diet and nutrition.
It makes sense. Food is so much more than nutrients for the body. Food is comforting. It conjures up memories, is a celebratory tool, and eating itself is an activity that staves off boredom. Food doesn’t judge or talk back; it doesn’t make fun of us or scold us. The tastes, textures, and sensations of food are calming, and when we’re stressed or emotional, it soothes us.
Until we’re done binging on a bag of Hershey Kisses, and we feel awful – physically and emotionally.
This is emotional eating. We know it when we do it, yet feel powerless to stop it. When we can’t, a cycle of shame – and likely more emotional eating – ensues.
So, how do we break the cycle of emotional eating and free ourselves from the chains and torment? By shining a great big spotlight on it and being more mindful.
What is emotional eating?
By definition, emotional eating is when we eat in response to our emotions or stressors and not in response to physical hunger. Remarkably, it doesn’t just happen in response to negative emotions. Positive emotions, such as those experienced when celebrating a happy event or enjoying a social outing with friends, can also characterize emotional eating. This is what we mean when we hear you are “eating your feelings.”
Is it our body, our mind…or both?
When we’re feeling sad, anxious, depressed, or stressed, our bodies tell us to eat high-calorie, sugary or fatty foods. Think about it. When was the last time emotional eating led you to a bag of carrots instead of a bag of chips or Skittles? The reasons we seek these foods are complex, with roots in our physiological makeup and brain chemistry.
In times of stress, our bodies release cortisol, a hormone associated with our “fight or flight” response. When triggered, the release of cortisol can increase appetite, particularly for foods that provide a quick source of energy, such as those high in fats and sugar.
This aspect is compounded by the fact that these foods are hyper-palatable, meaning they’re craveable, stimulating, and incredibly satisfying. Aside from hitting all the right taste buds in our mouth, these delectable treats release the neurotransmitter serotonin – a feel-good chemical that stimulates the pleasure center of the brain. This provides immediate comfort and is very soothing, which is exactly what we’re seeking in times of stress.
This one-two punch of hormones and neurotransmitters stacks the deck against us. Before we can logically think our way through the emotional stressors coming at us, we’re already halfway through a bag of Oreos.
Tactical Steps to Stop Emotional Eating
Despite the way it feels, emotional eating isn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. The groundwork is laid well beforehand. It comes from it comes from regular habits, a series of emotional and stressful events, or automatic thinking.
The key, then, is to recognize and redirect the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that lead us to reach for these hyper-palatable foods – or any food – that don’t support our health goals. Once we recognize them, we can ultimately train our brains to employ new thoughts and tactics that will work for a lifetime.
Fortunately, there are a number of tactics you can employ to defeat emotional eating. I’ve stacked these tactics in order of practice so they build on one another. Regardless of which order you choose to use them, the basis of all of these tactics is rooted in awareness.
5-Second Rule
The 5-Second Rule is a self-help book by Mel Robbins that discusses ways to beat procrastination and spur action. But it also has tremendous value in interrupting negative thought patterns, such as those that drive us to emotional eating.
The 5-Second Rule suggests that when confronted with making a decision, we only have 5 seconds to act to before our brains talk us into – or out of it. By counting backward from 5, we engage the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain responsible for decision-making and impulse control. With the prefrontal cortex active, you can override automatic impulses taking place elsewhere in the brain.
But it doesn’t stop there. With the prefrontal cortex activated, you can employ another tactic – the Five-Minute Action.
Five Minute Action
A 5-minute action is another versatile tool that serves multiple purposes. In wanting to create new habits or meet a goal, a 5-minute action helps to break down larger tasks into smaller ones, thereby creating momentum. Eating the elephant one bite at a time, so to speak.
Used as a jumping-off point from the 5 Second Rule, however, a 5 Minute Action redirects you to a positive and constructive activity. This could be deep breathing exercises, taking a short stroll, playing with a pet, reading positive affirmations, or simply enjoying a cup of tea.
After 5 minutes, assess your hunger. Are you truly hungry, or has the emotional trigger diminished?
By combining the 5-second rule with a 5-minute action, you introduce a deliberate pause in the cycle of emotional eating.
Mindful Eating Journal
A mindful eating journal captures the entire lifecycle of an emotional eating experience. It looks at not what you ate but the situation and circumstances leading up to and through the event.
Emotions aren’t the only catalyst for an emotional eating episode. Our environment plays a part as well. By asking key questions, a mindful eating journal seeks to raise self-awareness by prompting us to reflect on various aspects of our eating experience. Through questions about activities, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, surroundings, time, and companionship, the journal encourages a deep understanding of one’s relationship with food.
When we become aware or mindful of the totality of these situations and circumstances in these moments, we can identify patterns, triggers, and emotions associated with eating. Ultimately, this empowers us to make conscious, healthier choices and develop a more harmonious connection with their nourishment. Food no longer becomes that comfort mechanism we seek.
To get started, download a print or digital-fillable copy of the Fit, 50 and Fabulous Mindful Eating Journal.
Final Thoughts on Emotional Eating
We give food way too much power in our lives. It provides comfort when we’re sad, soothes anxious nerves, and calms us when we’re stressed. It does all of that without talking back, judging, or berating us.
We can reclaim that power by practicing mindfulness techniques and cultivating awareness of our environments, habits, and emotions. Coupled with the tools and techniques presented, we can transform our relationship with food from a mere comfort mechanism into a source of nourishment, establishing a more harmonious and empowered connection with what we eat.